Improvement in presses for cotton



center.

vUNITED STATES PATENT Orman..

HENRY HUGHES, OF PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRESSES FOR COTTON, 80C.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 17,278, dated May 12,1857.

To all whom it mayeoncern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HUGHEs, of

Port Gibson, in the county of Claiborne and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Press for Pressing Cotton, Hay, and other Compressible Materials; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in whic i Figure l is avertical section of my improvement, the plane of section being through the Fig. 2 is a detached plan of the spiral grooved disk.

Similar lettersv of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two gures.

This invention consists in the employment of a grooved plate or base, having a horizontal or other formed surface with grooves thereon,

for the purpose of operating the levers or legs of the follower, as hereinafter described.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a bar or platform, on which two uprights, B B, are placed, connected by a cross-piece, C, at their upper ends.

D represents a horizontal circular plate, which is placed on an arbor or spindle, E, said arbor or spindle being stepped in the base A. The upper surface of the circular plate D has two spiral grooves, a a, madein it, said grooves extending from the center'to the periphery of the plate. These grooves have a quick turn at their inner ends, and gradually become r straighter or less curved as they approach the periphery of the plate, as shown clearly in E E( represent two levers, the upper ends of which are pivoted to the follower or plunger F. The lower ends of these levers are tted in thespiral grooves a a, as shown in Fig. l. When the levers are expanded, as shown in Fig. l, (the levers being at the outer ends of the grooves,) the follower F will be depressed; and when the plate D is turned the levers will be contracted, or their lower ends made to approach each other; and as the outer parts of the grooves a a are less curved or straighter than their inner parts, the legs will be much more rapidly contracted at first, when the outer p parts of the grooves are acting upon them, the rapidity of the movement of the levers gradually diminishing as they approach thecenter and gradually diminishes as the substance is compressed, the power of course increasing as the speed diminishes; and as little power is required at first and a considerable amount at the latter part of' the operation, power is dispensed with or sacriced and speed obtained at the requisite time.

' rIhe grooves c a may be somewhat inclinedthat is, the outer parts of the grooves may be lower than the inner parts, or the inner parts may be lower than the outer parts. By this arrangement the operation above described is slightly modified, as the power and speed of the follower will be proportionably increased or diminished thereby. For instance, if the outer parts of thegrooves are lower than the inner parts, the upward movement of the follower will be slightly accelerated or increased as it approaches the center of the plate D, because the levers are elevated as they approach the center; but if the inner parts are lower than the outer parts the upward movement of the follower will be retarded as the levers approach the center of the plate.

In the London Practical Mechanics Journal,77 volume 6, page 38, may be found a description of the well-known rotating toggle.77 This consists of two plates or tables linked togcther by a pair of legs or levers. By partially rotating one of the tables the legs will cross each other and bring the tables nearer together. By rotating one of the tables in a contrary direction the legs will straighten and throw the tables farther apart. In so far as the use of legs or levers which are alternately inclined and then straightened are concerned, the above device bears some resemblance to mine; but as used for a press it is far inferior, being incapable of many of the functions performed by my improvement.

I would here remark that I do'not claim, broadly, the elevation and depression of the followers of presses by means of levers or legs, as they have long been used, in one form or another, in various kinds of pressing apparatuses. My invention relates to the peculiar means employed for operating the levers or legs-viz., by grooved plates or forms.

The rotating toggle, if applied to a press,

possesses little or no variability of power or speed. The extent of the motion of the tables is a half-revolution, and there is no method of movement of the follower is wanted, l employ a cone-shaped base-plate or form with grooves upon its periphery for the reception of the ends of the levers or legs. The grooves, commencing at the base of the cone, gradually rise to the apex; or, if desirable, the form or baseplate may consist of an inverted cone, the grooves beinglocated on the concave sides thereof. lf it is desirable first to raise, then depress, then retain the follower, Ste., all without stopping or altering the motor, it may readily be done by altering the formation of the grooves. lf the motive power is small, the grooves may be so 'arranged as to curve very gradually, and thus a great force may be obtained from the press at the expense of speed. .But the revolving toggle 7 is incapable of any such changes as the foregoing. The application of motive power that would operate my press to full advantage might be insufficient eve'n to move the revolving toggle, because it presents no means of varying its motion or graduating its power.

To the best of my knowledge and belief it is a new feature in presses to employ a grooved plate o r base to operate the levers of the follower. By this arrangement new and useful results are obtained. Th erefore lVhat I claim as new in presses, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment of a grooved plate, D, or its equivalent,having ahorizontal or other formed surface with grooves thereupon, for the purpose of operating the levers E W, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described.

HENRY HUGHES.

Vitnesses:

W. TUscH, JAMES F. BUOKLEY. 

